Peri-menopause

What is peri-menopause?

Peri-menopause is the slowing down of a woman's reproductive system in the 6-10 years prior to menopause. It is a normal and natural
part of aging, in which the production of most hormones in the body slows down and becomes less predictable. Peri-menopause means
that women in their mid-thirties and early forties are less fertile and find it increasingly difficult to conceive.

This lack of regular ovulation can cause low, unstable, unreliable progesterone levels.
Low progesterone makes the peri-menopausal years a time of anxiety, inconvenience and confusion for many women, even more distressing than the actual menopause itself.

Peri-menopausal ovaries no longer produce a regular and predictable amount of progesterone. Peri-menopausal symptoms are all indicators of low progesterone and estrogen dominance.

Some women have no, or very mild symptoms during these years. However, for many women the last 3-6 years can be most uncomfortable
if they don't take steps to control it.

Menstrual problems. Irregular or shorter intervals between periods, spotting, extended and heavy bleeding.
About 10% of women world-wide suffer from severe menstrual bleeding; in Australia the rate is a little over 5%.
Investigate other possible causes of the excessive bleeding such as uterine fibroids (benign or non-cancerous tumours), cancer,
endometriosis, or a genetic bleeding disorder like Willebrand's disease. However, the most common cause of heavy bleeding is
hormonal imbalance.

Risk Factors for peri-menopause

Low vitamin D. If you get your level of vitamin D tested, your doctor may think that it is sufficient if it is above the standard medical reference minimum. However, your result should be at least 30-49 ng/ml or 75-124 nmol/L but preferably higher. A lower level of vitamin D than this prevents your body from properly making and using its own progesterone.

Having a mother who experienced significant peri-menopausal symptoms.

Smoking - menopause likely to occur two years earlier.

Hysterectomy with ovaries left intact, particularly if the surgeon cut the nerves or blood vessels feeding the
ovaries - menopause likely to occur four years earlier.

Pharmaceuticals (antidepressants and many others) and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Onset of peri-menopause

In the western world, the average age of menopause is 51, and peri-menopause six years earlier at 45. Worldwide, the age range for menopause is from the late 30's to the early 60's. Women in the poor third world tend to have menopause significantly younger than women in rich countries.

If you are overweight, have borne more than one child, or had high IQ test results as a child, then your menopause is likely to be later.

Menopause is official when you have not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months, provided there are no other complications that would suppress your period, such as intense exercise, prolonged breastfeeding, starvation or anorexia nervosa. Pregnancy is still possible up until this point.

The old, conventional approach

The long-held belief was that these symptoms were caused by estrogen deficiency. However, it is now apparent that low progesterone is the root cause of these premature changes. If a woman is still having her periods, then plenty of estrogen is produced by the ovaries. It is low progesterone that causes the breakdown of the uterine lining with irregular and heavy bleeds.

The medical profession has for decades been convinced by the pharmaceutical industry to prescribe the contraceptive pill to women facing this situation. The pill overrides the natural production of hormones and adds estrogen. Unfortunately it fails to address the progesterone deficiency. Most women who take the pill in this situation find their symptoms get worse rather than improve. Their estrogen-dominant symptoms are exacerbated. The pill usually contains progestin, which is a progesterone look-alike. Unfortunately is does not do what natural progesterone would, balancing the effects of unopposed estrogen. Therefore the pill usually aggravates these symptoms in an already estrogen-dominant woman.

Another mistake often made is to take antidepressants in this situation. This is a case of controlling the symptoms rather than treating and curing the underlying cause.

Prevention / remedies / treatment of peri-menopause

Hysterectomy. Many doctors will offer a hysterectomy to women suffering peri-menopausal symptoms, and may remove the ovaries as well. A hysterectomy will certainly stop the irregular bleeds and heavy blood loss. One in five hysterectomies is performed for just this reason. This drastic and irreversible step is often offered as the first treatment option.

The standard post-hysterectomy treatment promoted by pharmaceutical companies has been to supplement with estrogen. This particularly applies to women who have had bilateral oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries). The natural hormones progesterone and testosterone are ignored with disastrous results.

A hysterectomy does nothing to address the symptoms caused by the progesterone deficiency. Natural progesterone is not even considered as a treatment option. If the estrogen and progesterone imbalances were addressed in the first place, it is likely that these distressing symptoms and the unnecessary surgery could have been avoided.

The first line of treatment for peri-menopausal symptoms should always be progesterone cream supplementation.

Many symptoms of peri-menopause may be related to sugar addiction.
If you are overweight or addicted to sugar you may find that healing this addiction will get your body back to normal.

Get off the pill. If a woman is still getting a bleed (regular or irregular) then she is producing sufficient estrogen, so the contraceptive pill will simply make things worse. She is deficient in progesterone and prescribing more estrogen (along with a progesterone analog) is the opposite of what she really needs.

As discussed under Risk Factors above, ensure you have a good level of vitamin D.

Women who live by the diet and lifestyle in my ebook Grow Youthful enjoy a high degree of protection from peri-menopausal symptoms.

Disclaimer
The information and suggestions in this website are intended for educational purposes only. Their intention is to encourage the reader to think, and to question current medical practices and advice, and other aspects of our modern way of living. They do not offer medical advice or diagnosis, or prescribe the use or discontinuance of any remedy or treatment, directly or indirectly, without the knowledge and cooperation of the visitor's doctor or health professional. Sick people, or those with chronic or persistent symptoms should seek the advice of a doctor or health professional. Only use the information and suggestions in this website under their supervision. What you read here is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. The author, publisher, distributor, and any of their agents or employees disclaim all responsibility or liability in connection with the accuracy of and use of the information and suggestions in this website.